Rail joint



J. KEOYD Er AL M1395 RAIL JOINT Filed April 16, 19:54v sheets-sheet 1 f4/w55 K. 50)/0 and FEM/VK F L/CK.

J. K. BOYD ET AL RAIL JOINT Filed April le, 1954 @sh E5, R935.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES RAIL JOINT James K. Boyd, Wilkinsburg, and Frank F. Slick, North Braddock, Pa.

Application April 16, 1934, Serial No. 720,896

2 Claims.

This invention relates to rail joints, and more particularly to those used for joining railway rails, and has for one of its objects the provision of a rail joint that is provided with denite points of contacts and intermediate spaces of contraflexure, for the purpose of transmitting and distributing the excess loads and reversing stresses due to rolling wheel loads.

A rail joint of this type is disclosed in our l0 prior Patent No. 1,696,108, issued December 18, 1928, and has proven very successful in providing increased torsional resistance as compared to those of the prior art. In addition, it has been found to function properly without regard toI the design of the rail head and fishing angle, be-

sides being materially lighter in weight than those commonly used.

The rail joint of the present invention is of the same general type as that of our prior patent referred to, but is considerably more eicient in operation, due to the reduced amount of time it takes to install. It also provides for making rapid adjustments, but at the same time employing fewer parts.

'I'hese and further objects will be apparent after referring to the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a rail joint constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional end elevation on the line II-II of Figure l.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the device of the invention, with a rail joint in section.

Figure 4 is an elevation showing the combined chair and fish-plate member of the joint after it is rolled, and prior to being nally shaped.

Figures 5 and 6 are perspectives of wedges used in conjunction with the combined chair and shplate member.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

the numeral 2 designates the ties o-f a railway,

which support the usual spaced rails 3 of standard T-head type. The abutting ends of the rails 3 are joined by the combined chair and fishplate member 4 forming a part of the present invention, and which is preferably of an integral or one-piece construction, being closely similar to the construction of our prior patent referred to.

'I'he combined chair and fish-plate member 4 comprises a base or chair plate portion 5 which is thickened on one end, as at 6, and tapered on its other end, as at 'I. The base portion 5 is provided with integral fish-plate portions 8 which extend inwardly, as at 9, so as to overlie the base anges of the rails and then extend up- (Cl. 23S- 206) wardly parallel with the web thereof, to form Web-engaging portions Iii.

The iish-plate portions 8 have their portions 9 overlying the base flanges of the rails 3 shaped to form alternate projections and depressions I2 5 and I 4, respectively, thereby providing definite points of contact of the fish-plates B with the rai] base anges, and intermediate spaces of contrailexure; and producing corresponding depressions i5 and elevations I6 on the expo-sed spaces. 10

The fish-plate portions S are provided with apertures or openings Il adjacent their lower ends at the base portion 5. These openings or apertures are in alinement on either side of the rails, and preferably form three sets, one being l5 adjacent each end of the fish-plates 8, with the other set approximately adjacent the vertical center thereof and of substantially greater width.

The apertures adjacent the end of the fishplates are arranged so as to underlie at least a 20 portion of one o-f the projections I2, and the central openings Il wholly underlie another of these projections. A wedge I8 is mounted in each pair of the alined apertures Il which are adjacent the ends of the iish-plate 8 and each 25 projects therefrom, as at I9. Each of these wedges I 8 is recessed, as at 2li, on its extended end I9.

The adjacent ends of the rails 3 almost abut, or meet, at substantially the middle of the aper- 30 tures at the center of the fish-plate portions 8, and it is therefore desirable to provide individual means for forcing the separate rails up into engagement with them. A pair of Wedges 2l is provided for the alined central apertures Il. 35 These wedges 2l are substantially narrower than the wedges I 8, and are adapted to occupy the alined central apertures in side-by-side relationship. Each of the wedges ZI is also recessed, as at zo. 40

In lieu of the usual bolts to hold the iish-plate portions 8 against the Webs of the rails 3, a plurality of bolts 22 are provided and each comprises generally a threaded stud 23 having a depending extension 24 on one end thereof. The 45 depending extensions 24 are each provided with a rectangular extremity 25 which is adapted to seat in the recess 20 in one of the wedges.

In accordance with conventional practice, the fish-plate portions 8 are apertured, as at 26, and 50 likewise the webs of the rails 3, as shown at 2l.

In installing the device of the invention, the various wedges are inserted in the apertures Il in the bottoms of the fish-plate portions 8 and beneath the base anges of the rails. A bolt 22 55 is extended through each of the apertures 26 in the fish-plate portions and through the apertures 27 in the webs of the rails, which are in alinement therewith, A nut 28 is threaded on the ends of the threaded studs 23 which are remote from their depending extensions 24, and a similar nut 29 threaded on their opposite ends. The nuts 28 are tightened to draw the wedges E8 and 2! rmly under the base flanges of the rails 3. After a satisfactory adjustment of each of the Wedges is made, the nuts 29 are tightened to lock the bolts 22 against movement and also to tightly clamp the Web-engaging portions l of the fish-plates against the sides of the webs of the rails.

The several wedges I8 and 2l serve to provide definite points of contact between the base flanges of the rails 3 and the combined chair and iish-plate li, and Cooperate with the projection i2 and depressions E4 of the sh-plate portion S to provide definite points of contact and intermediate spaces of contraflexure for the rails.

rlhis serves to transmit and distribute the excess loads and reversing stresses, due to the load of the wheels 01E the rolling stock, to the adjoining rail bodies for Secondary distribution to the ties 2.

While we have shown and described one specic embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that we do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modications may be made without departing from the scope of our invention, as dei-ined in the following claims.

We claim:

member connecting said rails, said combined chair and fish-plate member comprising a base portion of laterally tapering thickness and shplate portions, said sh-plate portions having inwardly extending portions overlying the base flanges of said rails and upstanding web-engaging portions, said inwardly extending portions oi said sh-plate portions overlying the base flanges of said rails being provided with alternate projections and depressions so as to form denite points of contact and intermediate spaces of contraflexure for the rails, a wedge adapted to cooperate with the laterally tapering thickness of the base portion of said chair for adjusting said rails vertically with respect to the fish-plate portions, a bolt .adapted to extend through the rail and said fish-plate portion, nuts for locking said bolt in adjusted position, and an extension on said bolt which contacts said wedge whereby the latter is forced by the movement of said bolt. 2. A rail joint comprising, in combination, a pair of rails, a combined chair and iish-plate member connecting said rails, said combined chair and ish-plate member comprising a base portion of laterally tapering thickness and iishplate portions, at least one bolt for clamping the fish-plate member to the webs of the ends of said pair of rails, a wedge adapted to be inserted under the base flanges of said rails and 30 to cooperate with the base portion of laterally tapering thickness to adjust said rails vertically,

said bolt having an extension which engages said wedge whereby the latter is forced by the movement of said bolt.

JAMES K. BOYD. FRANK F. SLICK. 

